מֶ֫לַח (ma.lach)
ma.lach
rag
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun melach refers simply to a rag or piece of old cloth. It appears in only two verses, both found in the book of Jeremiah, where it serves as a concrete image for something worn out and discarded.
In Jeremiah 13:7, the prophet retrieves a linen belt he had hidden by the Euphrates, describing it as ruined and useful only as a rag. This specific usage highlights the word’s connotation of worthlessness; it is not merely old clothing, but material that has lost its original purpose and dignity.
The term underscores themes of judgment and loss in Jeremiah’s prophecy. By reducing a symbol of honor to a simple rag, the text illustrates how Israel’s covenant relationship had deteriorated into something broken and unusable before God.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word melach describes a rag—cloth that has lost its shape, strength, and original purpose. In Jeremiah 13, a once-honorable linen belt becomes nothing more than waste after being hidden in the dirt. This image reminds us that when we turn away from God’s design, even our best efforts can become worn out and useless.
Yet there is hope here. In Jeremiah 38, Ebedmelech uses these same rags to cushion Jeremiah’s suffering in a dark dungeon. What was discarded becomes an instrument of mercy. Your brokenness does not disqualify you from God’s care. He sees your weariness and meets you with compassion, turning even your lowest moments into spaces where grace can flow.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- rags1×
- and/ the/ rags1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְלָחִ֑ים1×
- וְ/הַ/מְּלָחִים֙1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 38:11
So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there rags and worn-out garments, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
This verse shows the rags being used practically to protect Jeremiah, highlighting how discarded things can still serve God’s purposes when handled with care.
-
Jeremiah 38:12
Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Now put these rags and worn-out garments under your armpits under the cords.” Jeremiah did so.
Here, Ebedmelech instructs Jeremiah to place the rags under his armpits, demonstrating a specific act of kindness that turns a symbol of ruin into a tool for relief.